Science research » Fun Science

Good Science Fair Projects – Plants Reaching For Light (Part Two)

admin — Sun, 23 May 2010 07:50:31 +0000

In our previous science fair project we had a look at chlorophyll and how plants use this chlorophyll, sunlight, water and carbon dioxide to produce glucose (a form of sugar.) What else, that is very important, is produced through photosynthesis? (In the process carbon dioxide is taken from the air, what is released back into the air?) Now we are going to do a good science fair project to demonstrate how plants actually reach for sunlight. We know by now that they cannot survive without light, which we proved in our previous science fair project. Now we are going to do a really fun science fair project. If you want to do a really good science fair project, it might be a good idea to combine these two science fair projects as it gives you a very clear and visual picture of plants growing and needing sunlight.

Today’s science fair project is a good science fair project for someone that is a little handy. We are going to make a maze in a shoe box to demonstrate how the plant searches and reaches for light.

What you will need for this science fair project:

* First you need a shoe box

* You will need a pair of scissors

* Stiff card

* Some sticky tape

* Black paint

* A paint brush

* A pair of gardening gloves to protect your hands

* A runner bean

* A plant pot

* Some good compost

* Water

Now for the fun part: making your maze in your shoe box!

1. To start cut a hole in the one end of the shoe box.

2. Making a maze in your shoe box is very easy, start by cutting eight flaps out of the stiff cards. The flaps must fit securely into your shoe box in the width.

3. Now paint your shoe box and the eight flaps all over with black paint. Do you know why we are doing that? Think about the light reflecting…yes, the black paint is to stop the light entering through the hole from reflecting inside the shoe box!

4. Now you can make a maze by sticking the eight flaps of card inside the shoe box with sticky tape. Cut slots into your flaps at a different place in each flap to form a maze (if you are not sure how to do this, ask for the help of an adult who knows what a maze looks like.)

5. Plant a runner bean in a small plant pot with compost.

6. Water the soil each day to keep it moist but, do not make it too wet. Keep it in a warm place until the bean has a shoot. Remember to keep the soil moist, depending on the temperature; it may not be necessary to water the bean everyday.

7. When your plant has a shoot place it at the bottom of your maze.

8. Close the lid and place the maze in a sunny spot.

9. Remove the lid once a day to see if your plant needs water.

10. Now you can observe what is happening.

11. If you did it right, the plant will grow and find its way through your maze to steadily move towards the light.

12. Eventually your plant will poke through the hole at the top of your shoe box.

13. For display purposes it is a good idea to take a photo of your plant growing zig-zag through your maze and out the hole at the top.

This is a good science fair project for someone interested in gardening. It is also a good science fair project for someone that loves crafts as this can double as a craft because of the maze you have to make. Good science fair projects can never be done too fast, so give yourself enough time.

By: Magrietha Du Plessis

Summer Activities – Fun Easy Science Projects

admin — Mon, 17 May 2010 14:28:58 +0000

   When school lets out for the summer, many parents send their children to camp. While many children do enjoy going to camp, a lot of other children like staying home as well. Staying home can actually be good for a family. It saves the money that you would have spent on the summer camp, and it gives you the chance to spend more time with your child. The only problem with staying home is that many times parents feel like their children have had unproductive summers.

            Parents can fix this problem by making sure their children read their summer reading lists, and by coming up with some fun easy science projects that their children can work on. Doing these activities will keep your child productive and learning all through the summer! You can also get involved in the activities of your child so that you spend time together doing something fun, and learning together. At the end of the summer, not only will your child have a whole list of things that they did, but they are likely to be well prepared for the next school year, and they will not have that lull that many students have when they first get back to school!

            When it comes to doing fun easy science projects with your kids, start by asking their teachers what they will be learning in the next school year. Giving your children a preview of what they will be learning will help them perform better in class. You can also choose to come up with fun easy science projects that tackle concepts your child has already learned, though. This makes sure that your child really understood and mastered the concept.

            Next, tailor your fun easy science projects towards fun easy summer activities. For example, making a sun dial out of a stick and some stones is a fun and easy project that will be great for the summer because you are assured of good weather, and you will be able to help your child create an accurate sun dial. Use the sun dial to tell the time as much as you can so that your child will feel like they have created something really useful. Ask them to run out and check what time it is every once in a while. It is also a good way for them to master clock reading!

            Another good example of fun easy science projects tailored towards the summer is building a small hydro-electric power generator with a water pump or with the garden hose. Depending on how much power you want to create and what your design is, creating the tiny generator is a great way to teach your children about alternative forms of energy or renewable energy! It is also a good excuse to get into your swimsuits and cool off with the water while you work.

   There are many other fun easy science projects that you can do with your children all summer long. Harnessing solar energy is a good one, and so is making a solar oven. For as long as your child is having fun, they will appreciate the different projects. Just remember that it is the summer, and fun should come first while learning is just a great added bonus!

By: Ethan Jeremy

Science Fair Project Ideas – Quick and Easy Project #5 – Crystal Radio

admin — Fri, 14 May 2010 14:23:21 +0000

Of all the fun science fair project ideas, this one is my favorite for students that want to learn more about modern communication techniques and technologies. Through this experiment, students will build their own radios that actually work and can be tuned. This is also one of the cool science fair project ideas for students that are interested in technology and engineering, as well as communications.

Like all science fair project ideas, this project requires some materials to gather in advance, but the cost is still under $50. Also, students need to be careful that they are safe when working with any kind of electricity.

Objective:

Through this experiment, students will build a radio receiver from the ground-up. They will also fine-tune the radio to improve its performance.

Introduction:
Radios are an integral part of our culture. They help us communicate across the same house or across an entire world. Using this crystal radio, students will understand the fundamentals behind building a functional radio system.

Terms and Concepts You’ll Need to Know:
This experiment relies on a series of terms and concepts that students will learn before or during the experiment, including the following:

Radio frequency and radio waveFM radio frequency (amplitude modulation)ResonanceDetectorDiodePower and electricityAntennaTuner

Materials You’ll Need:
To complete this project, you’ll need a variety of materials that may take awhile to gather, including:

1 round oatmeal box1 wooden mounting board1 spool of plastic insulated wire (100 feet)1 germanium diode1 47 kohm resistor1 alligator clip1 ceramic earphone4 fahnestock clips (optional)1 multimeter

Procedure:
In order to perform this procedure, you may want to have a parent present. As with many science fair project ideas, safety should come first.

Thread wire through 2 small holes that you poke about 1/2 an inch down into the oatmeal box. The wire should come out on the outside of the box. Use about a foot of the wire on the outside of the box to use as the connection to the circuit. Take the remaining wire inside the box so it does not slip.Wrap the wire around the box 5 times. Remove some of the plastic insulation to twist the wires together. Make wraps every 5 turns until you reach 40 turns total. Once you reach 40 turns, poke another 2 holes into the box. Cut another foot of the wire off in order to leave extra wire on the outside of the box. Push the wire back through the hole so that it comes out on the exterior of the box. Take the wire on the inside of the box. Use an antenna and ground. This can be any wire that is not insulated. Place the antenna as high as possible, but not near electrical wires. Ground the antenna to a water pipe or metal rod that is at least 2 feet underneath the ground. Hook the wire to an alligator clip and a center tap. Hook the wire again to the earphone. Listen until you hear a noise. You may need to modify the radio to hear a noise if you do not hear it at first.

This is one of the great science fair project ideas, but it may take awhile to build and perfect. Always put safety first and work with a parent to make sure you are completely safe. Finally – have fun!

If you’re ready to get going with your own radio science project, your next step is to download a free copy of “Easy Steps to Award-Winning Science Fair Projects” from the link below right now.

By: Aurora L.

Fun Science Projects

admin — Mon, 26 Apr 2010 05:23:33 +0000

Hello, I have prepared a couple really fun science projects that any student can do at home with household items.

These Fun science projects should be done with adult supervision.

The first fun science project is called “The Balloon Inflater”

MATERIALS:

A carbonated soft drink in a bottle, a balloon, and a twist tie from a bread or a garbage bag.

WHAT TO DO: 1. Place the balloon over the mouth of the bottle and securing it to the bottle with the twist tie. 2. Have the adult hold the bottle and place their thumb over the mouth of the bottle covered by the balloon. 3. Now shake the bottle for five seconds and release your thumb. 4. The balloon fills with carbon dioxide that was dissolved in the soda pop. That’s why they are called carbonated drinks.

This is a great fun science project that can give you that A you want in science class! Here is another great science experiment that anyone can do .

THE BALLOON ROCKET

MATERIALS: A balloon

WHAT TO DO: Simply blow up the balloon. Then, holding it between you thumb and forefinger, let it go and watch it fly.

EXPLANATION: You already know that the air escaped from the opening in which you blew up the balloon. You also noticed that the balloon flew in the opposite direction – this is action and reaction. The first force, air escaping, is the action. The balloon moving in the opposite direction of the air is the reaction.

We use this principle everyday. We push down on a chair to get up. We push our feet to the back to walk forward. A basketball pushes down onto the floor just before it bounces. You can probably think of many other examples.

I hope you have enjoyed these fun science projects. Please remember that these science experiments should be done with adult supervision.

By: Tyler Horvath

Science Project – Keep It Stress Free

admin — Thu, 22 Apr 2010 23:47:07 +0000

Stress free science projects can be done and you can even have fun. Find a science experiment where you can complete the paperwork within 1 day or at the most two days.

First get the information from the teacher about the points needed for assignment and how the letter grade will be assigned. You want to make sure you comply if they want a poster, demonstration or maybe a graph. Do not just prepare a report you think is good. Your teacher may really want a demonstration from you or may want a colorful graph and if you do not supply this required support document you may lose points and lower your overall grade.

If you can separate the project into sections do that and start with what you can complete now. You may know what type of project you will do and the materials needed so you can go to the store to acquire all the items. Make your title heading on your poster board, type your initial hypothesis. Keeping the project stress free will require you being able to check off the sections you do have complete so you can see the project portions being completed.

As humans we need those successes and if we see the project being completed progressively then we will not become as stressed because we know certain portions are done. Before you start your project get all the supplies you need. Nothing makes it worse to have to go out and get a material only to turn around 4 hours later and need something else.

Set aside time when you do not have places to go and you have quiet so that you can concentrate on the demonstration. Practice your science project in front of your family before you take the assignment to school. Have them quiz you so that you know you are capable of answering any questions.

By: Lesa Bolt

Home Science Experiments Made Fun and Easy

admin — Mon, 19 Apr 2010 08:04:10 +0000

Home science experiments are great for rainy or dreary days when the kids are restless and looking for something to do. If you take a look around, you will see that you have a lot of things that can be used to experiment with. For example, you could have your kids test different things to drop eggs onto, such as a couch, a bed, a carpet, a stuffed animal to see which will accept the egg without it breaking. Unfortunately this experiment can often result in a mess!

Cleaner home science projects might be to see if you can make an egg fit through the neck of a bottle that is smaller than the egg. For this you will need a hardboiled egg, a glass with a mouth just slightly smaller than the egg, a 3″ x 3″ piece of newspaper and a match. Remove the shell from the egg and set it on the mouth of the bottle to see that it does not fit through. Then, fold the piece of newspaper into a strip that can be dropped into the bottle.

Have an adult light the match and use it to light the newspaper on fire. Remove the egg from the mouth of the bottle, drop the burning paper into the bottle, and put the egg back over the mouth of the bottle before the fire goes out. Within a few seconds the egg will squeeze through the mouth of the bottle. This happens because the air pressure is pulling the egg into the bottle.

By: Dee Schrock

Chemistry Science Projects Sure to Get a Reaction

admin — Thu, 15 Apr 2010 05:12:32 +0000

Chemistry science projects are all about the study of substances and their transformation; finding out what happens when they are combined together and how they react to one another. Chemical reactions can make exciting projects; just think of the classic working volcano project. The classic working volcano has been done many, many times, but that’s because it is a lot of fun to watch, but if you want to score points for originality you should choose a different project.

One fun (and delicious) chemistry science fair project is to make your own sugar crystals. Also known as rock candy, you have likely seen these in gift shops at pretty much any major attractions; science exhibits, the zoo and so on. They are pretty to look at and tasty to eat. In addition they are also extremely easy to make. All you need is sugar and water, plus a glass jar to grow them in and some string for them to grow up. It only takes a day before they begin to grow.

Another fun chemistry project might be to see if colored candles burn faster or slower than white candles. All you need for this project is a white candle, a few different colored candles, a lighter and adult supervision. Light each candle at the same time and observe the rate they burn at. Be sure to record your results.

One other project you could try is a project to see which type of tape sticks best to different types of surfaces. You can experiment and see which brands work better on which surfaces.

By: Dee Schrock

Engage Your Kids In Learning And Fun With Science Projects

admin — Tue, 30 Mar 2010 20:41:54 +0000

Make opportunities to learn science available

Many parents want to encourage their kids to have fun learning but simply do not know how. There is actually an easy solution; encourage kids to think scientifically by providing them with opportunities to practice. As a parent you must teach this principle by example. When you go outside for a walk or a bike ride, point out some of the things that you see. Ask your kids if they know why the weeds can push through the sidewalk, or how a scraped knee will heal itself. Ask questions and if you don’t know the answers see if you can think of an experiment that will help you to figure out what is going on. There is science in everything around us, we just have to be opened to seeing it.

Teach your children to explore their curiosity

Curiosity is said to be the most essential trait of a scientist. Encourage your children to ask questions and express an interest in finding out more about what you notice and read. See if you can find out answers to questions by trying things out. Ask your kids if they have any suggestions for an experiment that they could do to answer the question or confirm the theory that they have. Help them through the process and be available for questioning but encourage your child to find the answers for themselves.

Encourage kids to find the answers for themselves

Some questions lend themselves better to casual experiments than others. A good example would be experimenting to find the answer to the question, “Will seeds in the fruits and vegetables we eat grow?” Put them in the dirt and see! It’s most important to communicate the idea that you can find out answers to your own questions, and that the most reliable answers are the ones you find through your own experiments. Yes, you could just answer their questions and save yourself some time and effort, but in doing so you will miss out on an important educational opportunity. Now is this to say that you shouldn’t answer any question without first doing an experiment? No! This is not realistic. But with the occasional science project you can teach a child concepts that will bee more deeply engrained in their minds because they found the answers themselves and didn’t have to take someone else’s word for it.

Other ideas to promote an interest in science

There are lots of mediums that you can use to engage your kids in learning and having fun with science. A blend of many different types of science information exposure is best.

• Visit a science center, zoo or aquarium.

• Garden together.

• Building something together.

• Watching science programs on television (good examples include Zoom, Beakman’s World, Bill Nye: The Science Guy, or Mythbusters. Of course, these shows vary in age appropriateness so it is important to always monitor what your children watch).

• Purchasing or borrow books from a library on topics that interest your child.

• Visit JustScienceProjects.com to find science project ideas that you can do as a family.

• Participating in programs that expose children to nature (i.e. scouting, a science team/club, or 4-H).

By: Chuck Lunsford

Fun Science Project With Fruit

admin — Mon, 22 Mar 2010 02:57:47 +0000

Great and easy science project by creating a battery from a lemon.

Many people have heard of this, but do you know how to do this. It is actually quite easy. Any range of students can do this as a science fair experiment, however, young students will need to have their parents assistance to understand and perform the project correctly.

Here are the materials you will need.

4 lemons

4 pennies

4 galvanized nails

A Volt Meter

An Led Light bulb with two wires protruding from the bottom

A small knife

4 Small alligator clips from an electronics store such as Radio Shack

First we will make a battery with one of the fruit. Insert one of the nails in an end of a lemon and then cut a small slit with the knife in the other end big enough for a coin and insert the penny half way into the fruit. The galvanized nail with the acid in the lemon and the copper in the penny has now created a battery.

To test this use the volt meter and hold the positive end which is the red wire on the penny and the negative or black wire on the nail. It should read at least about one.

Now switch the red and black wires and you should see a negative result number on the reading.

Now remove this and create 3 more lemon batteries. Using the alligator clips attach the 4 piece of fruit together. You will connect a penny on one lemon to a nail on another and do that with the other two lemons. Now attach a clip to the remaining nail and the positive end wire of the LED light. The LED light has a flat edge by a wire. This should always be the negative side. Now clip remaining penny on another lemon and just touch the other wire of the LED light with the clip end. You should see a slight light. If you do not you may have hooked it up incorrectly so switch sides with the wires from the LED light and see if it works.

You will be able to present this project demonstration at your science fair.

By: Lesa Bolt

Elementary Science Experiments Made Fun and Easy

admin — Sun, 14 Mar 2010 01:03:32 +0000

Elementary science experiments can be a ton of fun. At this age, there isn’t the pressure on the students that there is in the higher grades. Science fair projects are all about fun! Children are naturally curious and full of questions and energy so it shouldn’t be hard to get them to come up with a topic. All you have to do is find something that will get them to think of something that interests them, and then help them get started on their project.

One elementary science experiment the children may enjoy is to see if water always drains in the same direction. They can test this out around the school, in toilets, sinks and drains. All they need to do is grab some paper and a pencil and head off to a washroom to begin. Have them flush the toilet and make note of which way the water drains. You can get them to check a second toilet to be sure they both drain the same way. Then get them to put a plug in a sink drain and fill it with some water. Pull the plug and have them observe which way the water drains in the sink. Next, if there is a floor drain around, if possible pour some water over the drain and have them observe which way it flows down the drain. Did the water always drain in the same direction?

If this elementary science project isn’t for you, you could have the students test different brands of popcorn. In this project, they test to see if different brands of popcorn leave the same amount of in-popped kernels. Have fun!

By: Dee Schrock